1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooling systems for cooling electronic equipment, particularly to cooling systems employing suspended climate control systems using natural convection.
2. Background and Objects of the Invention
The growth of the computer industry and telephony over the past few decades has been phenomenal. The integration of these technologies, for example, in telecommunications switching systems, has lead to greater and greater efficiencies as larger numbers of communications are handled by fewer components, which are typically housed in a central control room.
One problem inherent with all electronic equipment, telecommunications or otherwise, is temperature control. As is readily apparent, if telecommunications switching equipment or other electronic components are not effectively cooled, high internal temperatures are quickly reached with total system shutdown soon following. Conventional approaches to cooling the aforementioned central control or other such apparatus/equipment rooms have utilized controlled cooling systems employing motor-driven fans and heat exchangers.
Another approach used for temperature control is to exploit the properties of natural convection, by which ambient air heated by the equipment flows upwards and then downwards through a heat exchanger, which cools the air, back to the heat generating equipment, beginning the cycle anew. One advantage of using cooling systems employing natural convection is the elimination of the operational disturbances and operating costs associated with the aforementioned controlled cooling systems.
Swedish Patent Specification No. 8404878-4 describes a heat exchange system that exploits natural convection by utilizing a chimney effect, i.e., channeling the rising air such as is done in a chimney, conducting the air flow through a heat exchanger and past heat-exchanging fins and tubes thereof. This arrangement, however, is directed to outdoor installations whereby a liquid medium flowing through heat-exchanger tubes is first cooled by colder outside air and then used to cool an equipment room.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved configuration for a heat exchange system employing natural convection.
It is also an object of the present invention that the improved configuration be adaptable for a variety of equipment room layouts and adjustable to maximize the efficiency of the cooling system.